Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). It still remains a huge medical and public health problem all over the world. About 530 million people between the ages of 14 to 49 are infected by the herpes virus. About 5% of HSV-2 infected persons live with genital herpes outbreaks that recur once in every 2 to 12 months. Each outbreak can be continued for 2 to 20 days, and make the person physically uncomfortable and emotionally distressing. Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir or valacyclovir (valtrex) can be used to reduce the symptoms of herpes virus but they have so many side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, general ill feeling, headache, mouth pain while using an acyclovir buccal tablet etc.

HSV-2 genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. This virus is transferred from one person to another person by having vaginal sex or anal sex and sharing sex toys with a person who have a cold sore. The herpes simplex virus is passed from one person to another person by close or direct contact. When herpes simplex virus is present on the surface of the skin of an infected person, it can easily pass on to the healthy person through the moist skin which lines the mouth, anus and genitals. A person cannot become infected by touching the objects, such as a working surface and wash basin, or a towel which has been used by an infected person. If a mother is infected with herpes virus delivers a child, then there is a very strong possibility of the child being infected with this virus. The herpes virus is most likely to be passed on just before the blister appears, when it is visible, and until the blister is completely healed.HSV-2 exists all around us and is carried by our friends and family members, but people are reluctant to disclose that they are infected with HSV-2. Many people who have HSV-2 have had only one or few sexual partners, and many teenagers who acquire HSV-2 have the misfortune of acquiring HSV-2 with their first sexual partner. People have hesitation in openly discuss their infection status. That is why; most of the non-HSV-2 carriers assume that HSV-2 genital herpes is a relatively uncommon disease.

The newborn baby who is born with this viral infection have more chances of death because the immune system of the baby is not developed completely yet. So, more attention is required towards the new born baby and the mother both. HSV-2 or HSV-1 both viruses will exist in our DNA for the lifetime. No antibiotic is effective on this virus because it has a property to hide itself in the body. When the immune system is week and an increase in stress, the virus will activate and symptoms with sores will appear. So, you have to take care of your immunity to decrease the effect of herpes on your body. Once a sore appears, it will take around 2-4 weeks to get completely healed.

Symptoms of herpesDuring its first stage of we can say in the starting you do not notice any sign or symptom of herpes. But after some time when you have low immune system or stress fully conditions around you, then sores will appear on your body. If you have sore around and inside your mouth then it means that you are infected with the HSV-1 virus. Another condition is that if the sore are appearing around the genital area than you are infected by HSV-2 virus. Before the appearance of sores, pain, burning, tingling, or itching can be felt in the infected area of the body. Then the blisters erupt and these blisters break down rapidly and appear as tiny, shallow, gray ulcers on a red base.

THE POTENTIAL UTILITY OF A HSV-2 VACCINEEffective vaccines have been responsible for the elimination and control of many viral diseases like smallpox, yellow fever, red measles, mumps, hepatitis B, chickenpox, and poliomyelitis. Till now there is no safe and effective HSV-2 vaccine has been invented or developed for the humans to prevent HSV-2 genital herpes, but the researchers and scientists are still working very hard to develop an effective medicine to cure the herpes virus in near future.

WHY DO WE STILL LACK AN EFFECTIVE AND SAFE HSV-2 VACCINE?This is the hundred million-dollar question and a strong reason to focus on the Herpes Vaccine Research Blog. What I hope to make clear through this blog is that a safe and effective HSV-2 vaccine will be developed in the near future and it is easily available for all the persons who are suffering from the herpes virus. The primary barriers to the advancement of an effective HSV-2 vaccine are- misinformation and a pre-conceived notion that live-attenuated HSV-2 vaccines should not be investigated or considered for use as a human vaccine.